^^No^esf^^ PREHISTORY OF PANAMA VIE JO — BIESE 41 



have been done in the damp state, leaving a well-defined ridge which 

 can be seen in the photographs. The patterns occur all over the 

 external surface exclusive of the bottom and do not appear to be 

 organized in zones. Some designs are more elaborate incised circles 

 and swirls (pi. 19, g), like those on the votive ware. On others, an 

 applique ridge is diagonally incised in imitation of rope, or has crude 

 ridging and edge notching. 



RELIEF MODELING AND APPLIQUE 



Other plastic decorative techniques frequently employed are relief 

 modeling and applique. It is the former which really gives this 

 pottery its completely distinctive appearance and one cannot but be 

 impressed at the high degree of refinement in this technique. Oc- 

 casionally the entire animal body is raised above the vessel surface, 

 outlined with deep linear incising, and paneled with reed or shell 

 markings. In the thick, heavy sherds the modeling often is pressed 

 outward from the inner surface; in smaller sherds the inner surface is 

 smooth and flush. Relief is used also for heads alone, or portions of 

 heads such as jaws and the beaks of birds. Applique is used in much 

 the same manner where a sharper raised edge is required; most fre- 

 quently in the application of eyes. The term "Modeled Relief Brown 

 Ware" has been applied locally to this type of pottery found on the 

 Venado Beach site, a term believed to have originated with Dr. 

 Lothrop during his excavations there. The frequencies of these 

 decorative techniques are as follows: 



Appliqued 8 



Modeled 3 



Appliqued and incised 124 



Modeled and incised 35 



Total plastic decorations 170 



TRADE WARE 



Seventy-six sherds were found having decorations in two or more 

 colors. Of these, 20 were true polychromes in red, white, black, purple 

 or, more rarely, orange. Several represent portions of typical 

 Veraguas-Cocle types both in designs and materials. Most appear to 

 be segments of fruteras and plates with serpent and similar motifs, 

 including the "coral snake rim" (fig. 10, dj, g) . Similarly, a portion of 

 a frutera pedestal was found. One sherd has a raised "nubbin" 

 with four supports (fig. 10, j) decorated in red and black on a highly 

 polished buff ware of foreign import. This represents a type ware of 

 Parita and related sites on the Azuero Peninsula. A sequence of 

 progressive stylizations are known whereby this is shown to be a 

 frog eflSgy (Biese, 1961). This definitely is not a locally manufactured 



